


Perpetual Memory

by Impatiens_capensis



Category: Hatoful Kareshi | Hatoful Boyfriend
Genre: But it’s ambiguous, But no one in the story is especially concerned about it, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, I’m leaning towards a pre-slash reading, M/M, There's the looming implication of potential death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-26 12:41:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20930393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impatiens_capensis/pseuds/Impatiens_capensis
Summary: The King visits Shuu at his restaurant, to try to convince him to stay.





	Perpetual Memory

**Author's Note:**

> So I started writing this just about immediately after seeing [this](https://kirogaraii.tumblr.com/post/187062545834/a-gift-for-the-kings-favorite). I just started thinking about how Shuu and the King might interact and then I wanted to try and write a scene. It took a while to get this out, but it's finally done.

There are no laws on the Holiday Star. No one ever dies on the Holiday Star. It quickly became apparent that a bird can be cooked, carved, and eaten countless times only to emerge back out of the shadows to be cooked again. The reality of the Holiday Star is one where Shuu can do whatever he wants, with even fewer consequences than in the real world. After all, there was no room for sad thoughts here.

* * *

After the human and that terrible mourning dove had dealt with the restaurant, the King figured it was safe enough for him to take a peek. The King elected to ignore the signs instructing him to season himself and tuned into the mind he was approaching.

The mind of the man who had manifested the restaurant was densely packed with cognition and memory, and it took more effort than usual to pull them apart from each other. But part they did. It would only take a bit of coaxing before all the knowledge would be shared. This man was a doctor. He was cruel and cold and that was the way he liked it. And it would be convenient for him if some very bad birds died, which made him a welcome friend. A terrifying, but welcome friend.

The King opened the door slowly and quietly, taking in the sight of the chukar chopping something at the counter. “The King makes his entrance.”  
  
The chukar—Shuu Iwamine was the name he was using now—glanced over only momentarily before returning to his task. “I’ve never seen anybirdie like you before. I wonder how you will look when you‘re finally gutted.”  
  
“The King doesn’t want to be gutted!” He cowered reflexively.  
  
Iwamine turned around, still holding the knife in his wing. He quietly chuckled to himself as he observed every detail of the King’s shaking and morphing form.  
  
The King couldn’t hold back his tears, but he powered onward. “The King will not allow you to hurt him!”  
  
Nothing changed in Iwamine’s outward demeanor, but the King could feel his aggression change into something else. Not something gentler, just less immediately dangerous.  
  
“Another time, then,” Iwamine said. “There are other worthwhile modes of observation that have yet to be exhausted.”  
  
Standing upright once more, the King did his best to relax, but his voice still wavered. “The King can see that you’ve already started to make a home for yourself here. He cares deeply about the comfort of all his citizens. He would like to help you peacefully coexist with everyone here.”  
  
Iwamine chuckled again. “Peacefully coexist, huh? I don’t intend to make promises I won’t keep.” A pause. Even as the words spoken were despicable, the honesty was appreciated. Iwamine was as civil as a morally bankrupt person could be. “I‘m interested in the nature of this world, though, so I’m not entirely opposed to following any leads you can give me.”  
  
The King frantically nodded. “The King can definitely give you leads, the King said. After all, the Holiday Star is his kingdom.”  
  
“Ohoho. Do tell me.”  
  
The King paused for a moment. What was the best way to put this into words? And it had to be in keeping with the atmosphere he’s built here. “The Holiday Star is a place where everyone can be happy. The King knows that you are lonely. You have been lonely for a long time. Iwamine goes to work. He sees different people. But underneath that, he’s a frog hibernating in the ice. He’s sheltering himself away from the world. The spring that vitalized him won’t be coming back. Like Persephone, his spring carelessly and selfishly abandoned him.” There had to be a better version of this metaphor. The King would refine it. Still, he could tell that Iwamine understood. He felt the understanding. And even if that hadn’t been possible, he would have seen Iwamine tense up slightly.  
  
“So, it seems you can read my mind. Reach through the gray matter and get to my memories,” Iwamine replied flatly.  
  
The King paused and the sound of gunfire and screaming in the distance entered the room, for Iwamine’s ears only. “The King knows you made a promise.”  
  
Iwamine stiffened and froze. His eyes locked on to the King, not wanting to be caught off guard by anything the King could do.  
  
The King stepped forward. “The King only wants his citizens to be happy, so fighting is not allowed on the Holiday Star. There is no fighting between birds. There is no fighting between humans. There is no fighting between birds and humans. This is because it is not allowed.”  
  
Iwamine made a noncommittal sound. “If Ryouta Kawara wants to stay, then there’s no harm in staying to study the unique properties of this world.”  
  
The King beamed in response. A limb he hadn’t had before reached into his cloak and pulled out several luminous, bell-shaped flowers. He pulled Iwamine closer to present them to him. “A gift, to thank you for your decision.”  
  
Iwamine reached out slowly to accept the flowers. He wasn’t especially accustomed to gratitude and he certainly wasn’t accustomed to gifts. And here he was, being granted miniature stars. After all, this was a happy place.

**Author's Note:**

> I want to thank Kyn for fixing my grammar and answering my questions about Shuuances that I might have otherwise missed. What a good pal. Seriously, I'm grateful.
> 
> And of course, thank you so much to everyone who reads this! This was fun to write and I appreciate this fandom bunches. I hope you enjoyed it!!


End file.
